Who Loves You

Album

Who Loves You

Label

Warner Bros. Records

Genre

Disco

Media Type

45s

Duration

4:00

Composer(s)

Bob Gaudio;Judy Parker

Entered Chart

Aug 23, 1975

Peak Date

Nov 15, 1975

Released

2 August 1975

Recorded

July 1975

Catalog #

Warner Bros. 8122

B-Side

(disco version)

In this song, Four Seasons frontman Frankie Valli is addressing a girl who is clearly in a funk. He's asking her to think about who really loves her and who is going to get her through these tough times, hoping she'll finally realize it's him. The song was written by original Four Seasons member Bob Gaudio and a songwriter named Judy Parker, who later became his wife. Like many of the song Gaudio wrote for the group, the upbeat melody contrasts with a somber, lovelorn lyric. However, there is a bright spot. In our interview with Gaudio, he said: "'Who Loves You' is a dark lyric with a positive outcome: There's someone here for you, I'll take care of you. " "Who Loves Ya, Baby" was the catchphrase of the actor Telly Savalas, who starred in the popular detective show Kojak from 1973-1978. Savalas also dabbled in music and released a single in 1975 called "Who Loves Ya Baby." Written by the Broadway composer Marvin Laird, the song finds Savalas imparting a sentiment similar to the Four Seasons song, as he sings: When you're needing it bad 'cause rough times you've had I'm gonna look at you and say, Who loves ya baby? So was the Four Seasons song inspired by Savalas and his famous phrase? Bob Gaudio told us: "Everything that goes in my brain, in my ear, gets processed. Did I hear that phrase? Sure. There's all kinds of inspiration. Did I specifically sit down and say, I'm going to write a song, 'Who Loves You,' because of Telly Savalas? No. I think John Lennon once said good songwriters don't borrow, they steal. And if he didn't say it, I said it. I'll take it." In the '60s, The Four Seasons were one of the most successful groups in America, with a retro sound featuring Frankie Valli's falsetto. That sound fell out of favor late in the decade, and in 1972 the group signed a deal with Motown Records. Their Motown output had little success, and in 1974 they split from the label. By 1975, disco was starting its ascent and The Four Seasons were ready to ride that train. The group's '50s sound that was retro in the mid-'60s was now cutting-edge a decade later, as Valli's falsetto suited the disco groove perfectly. Now signed to Curb Records, "Who Loves You" was the group's first post-Motown single, and it brought them back in a big way. Their next single was an even bigger hit and just as groovy: "December 1963 (Oh What a Night)." Various versions of this song were released. The single runs 4:04 and is backed by a disco version that goes 5:28. A Spanish version was also released called "Quien Te Ama." The Who Loves You marked a new lineup for the group, which now had five members and played their own instruments (previous lineups used session musicians to back the vocalists). Original member Bob Gaudio was no longer performing with the group, but was their producer and contributed vocals and keyboards to their studio output. The lineup for this song was: Frankie Valli - vocals John Paiva - guitar, vocals Don Ciccone - bass, vocals Gerry Polci - drums, vocals Lee Shapiro - keyboards, string arrangement on this track

Who loves you, pretty baby?
Who's gonna help you through the night?
Who loves you, pretty mama?
Who's always there to make it right?

Who loves you, pretty baby?
Who's gonna help you through the night?
Who loves you, pretty mama?
Who's always there to make it right?

Who loves you?
Who loves you, pretty baby?
Who's gonna love you, mama?
Who loves you?
Who loves you, pretty baby?

When tears are in your eyes and you can't find the way
It's hard to make believe you're happy when you're gray
Baby, when you're feelin' like you'll never see the mornin' light
Come to me
Baby, you'll see

Who loves you, pretty baby?

Who's gonna help you through the night?
Who loves you, pretty mama?
Who's always there to make it?

Who loves you?
Who loves you, pretty baby?
Who's gonna love you, mama?
Who loves you?
Who loves you, pretty baby?

And when you think the whole wide world has passed you by
You keep on tryin', but you really don't know why
Baby, when you need a smile to help the shadows drift away
Come to me
Baby, you'll see

Who loves you, pretty baby?
Who's gonna help you through the night?
Who loves you, pretty mama?
Who's always there to make it?

Who loves you?
Who's gonna love you, love you?

Who's gonna love you?
Who loves you?
Who's gonna love you, love you?
Who's gonna love you?

Baby, baby
Do do do do
Come to me
Baby, you'll see

Who loves you, pretty baby?
Who's gonna help you through the night?
Who loves you, pretty mama?
Who's always there to make it?

Who loves you?
Who's gonna love you, love you?
Who's gonna love you?
Who loves you?
Who's gonna love you, love you?